When he viewed the trailer for the upcoming Hollywood picture The Whale, Sean Crawford shed tears. According to him, the film starring Brendan Fraser as a solitary English teacher with significant obesity resonated with his life.
After the death of a loved one, Sean rapidly gained weight, mirroring the plot of the film. Now weighing 30 stone (190kg).
The father of one from Athelstaneford, East Lothian, states that the video gives individuals in his circumstances a voice.
And he claims that there are numerous parallels between his life and that of the film’s protagonist, Charlie.
“He teaches a lesson from behind a computer because he is embarrassed by his weight, and I hid from things because I was embarrassed by mine,” remarked Sean.
“Priority number one is ensuring that our daughters become nice people, just in case we are not around to watch them grow up.
“I believe that people must realize that huge people are human beings.”
Health and depression are among the factors that can contribute to weight increase, according to Sean.
He said: “I frequently receive disgusted looks from adults and comments from children, but I recognize this as the innocence of youth.
“I frequently hear individuals express sympathy for anorexia and bulimia, but weight is seen negatively.
“At the end of the day, both are illnesses.”
Before acquiring weight, Sean described himself as a confident individual.
In 2019, one of his closest friends passed away, and two months later he voluntarily resigned from his 12-year position as a maintenance supervisor.
This was followed by the Covid lockdown, and he was subsequently unemployed for several years.
During this period, he became somewhat reclusive and gained 12 stone (76 kg) in 18 months.
“If there was a prize for gaining the most weight in the shortest amount of time, my doctor would give it to me,” said Sean.
“I spent 99.9% of my time watching television, eating, and drinking carbonated beverages.
“Because I sleep little, I have 18 to 19 hours every day to complete my task.”
He moved from working with 200 people on a daily basis to being home alone.
Sean stated that he had given up, especially during the lockdown, when he found the isolation to be extremely unpleasant.
It became unbearable for him to walk once he had back difficulties.
He tried to determine his weight, but the scales at his doctor’s office were too small.
He was eventually weighed at the hospital, where he was determined to weigh 30 stone (190kg).
He stated,
“It was soul-crushing, and I lost all confidence.”
When his vacuum cleaner broke towards the end of 2020 and he did not have the money to replace it, a friend gave him the number for the charity DadsWork.
The community project in East Lothian offers dads and their children support groups, positive parenting seminars, workshops on the role of fathers, home visits, and trips and activities.
They gave him a vacuum cleaner and informed him of drop-in groups and courses he and his daughter might join.
Sean, who is 5 feet 11 inches tall, said:
“I had no idea what they did, but since meeting them, I’ve seen them nearly every week.
“I began attending their drop-in meetings, and it was nice to meet other fathers and hear their tales and struggles.
“These sessions helped normalize the difficulties of parenting for me, and I now realize that I’m not alone – and that I’m not the only one who sometimes feels as though they don’t know what they’re doing.”
This, according to Sean, made him a better father.
In addition, he currently volunteers as a supervisor at a food bank.
He continued,
“DadsWork has also helped me be more productive with the time I spend with my kid.”
He stated that they now engage in “various activities” and have been provided with swimming passes.
“My daughter likes it, and it’s helping me regain my fitness and confidence,” he said.
Kevin Young, the project manager of DadsWork, stated that the organization provided support.
He said:
“Sean has undergone an amazing transformation. When we initially met him, he lacked confidence and self-esteem and refused to leave the house.
“We have spent considerable time cultivating our relationship with him in order to develop trust.
“He has moved on from the vacuum cleaner, which was a tiny but significant item for his family, to engaging with us in a significant way.”
Now that Sean is in a better place, he intends to reduce his weight in order to find a new companion.
He stated,
“I detest being alone and I hate being lonely.” “I detest having my photo taken or looking at myself because my weight is at an all-time low.
“However, now that I’m working again, I’m eager to lose weight.”
He also desires to watch The Whale in the theater.
“I cannot wait to watch it,” he added. “I ended up crying after seeing the trailer because I could identify to it so strongly.
“I cannot recall the last time I wanted to watch a movie in the theater, but this one is quite relevant to my position.
“I empathize with him, and it provides people in my position a voice.
“He is a teacher and contributes to society. It depicts those who have benefited from his life, but overweight people are typically stashed away and not given the recognition they deserve.”
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